Shower tub valve install

Plumbing Terms. View Cart. Toggle navigation Help View Cart Contact. Are the supply shut-offs in the "on" position? It sounds silly, but it happens!

Did you make sure to flush the valve before installing the cartridge? This removes any sediment or debris that may have found its way into the supply lines or valve. If the valve isn't flushed, this debris can build up and create blockages, resulting in a reduction in pressure, little or no water, or only hot or cold water.

Remove the cartridge, clear out any obstructions from it and the valve, and turn on the water for a minute to flush out any debris that may still be in the valve where you can't see it. Make sure you have the shower door closed during all of this - water will shoot out of the valve at your normal house pressure.

We do not recommend anyone try to deflect the water with just their bare hands, as hot water scalding could be a risk. After reinstalling the cartridge, normal flow should be restored. If debris in the valve or cartridge isn't the issue , try removing the shower head and turning the water on to flush the riser pipe - just be sure to aim the water towards the drain, or have a bucket handy! This should clear any blockages on the way to the shower head.

While you have the head off the arm, you can also clean out any screens or flow restrictors. Does the valve have service or screwdriver stops? Make sure they're both fully turned to the "on" position. Does your valve have a temperature stop, or temperature limiter? An incorrectly adjusted temperature stop can lead to water output that's too hot or too cold.

Unscrew the temporary nipple from the shower head elbow, and then screw in the shower arm and tighten it with a strap wrench. Screw on the shower head and tighten it by hand. Remove the nipple from the spout elbow and screw in a nipple of the proper length for your spout; tighten it with a pipe wrench. Screw on the spout and tighten it by hand. Chris Deziel has a bachelor's degree in physics and a master's degree in humanities. Besides having an abiding interest in popular science, Deziel has been active in the building and home design trades since As a landscape builder, he helped establish two gardening companies.

By Chris Deziel. Related Articles. You can make the plumbing connections behind the wall with PEX pipes and fittings. If you do, you'll need to install PEX adapters onto the valve. It's a good idea to install a water hammer arrestor onto each supply pipe to prevent loud knocking sounds in the pipes when you use the faucet.

Install an access panel -- if there isn't one -- so you can access the plumbing in the future to make repairs. The panel can be in a wall that adjoins the bathroom, such as a bedroom closet wall, where it will be inconspicuous. It's important to cap the nipples in the shower head and spout elbows and turn on the water to test your connections before covering the wall. A leak can cause serious damage to the framing, and repairing it after the wall is covered is a major project.